DH & I were having a discussion this morning about SM ... how they look, how the names are resurfacing for like Stylist, Athena & the like. ... so are the names copyrighted? Patent so only Singer say could use Stylist? Or Elna use Grasshoper & like that.??? Also are the hook mechanics at one time patent by one sm company ? What about the gear mechanicism ?? ... ... Just interesting ....
Thank you....

What an interesting discussion! Those types of conversations really build a relationship.
I am not savvy to the world of patents. While the company name is patented, I doubt the name for every model goes through that same patent process- it would seem to be a lot of money for a transient model name.
But of course the features common for a certain brand, though that are unique to that brand, are patented. When it expires, the other companies are able to incorporate that feature- something we have seen happen over the years.
Patents can have an intellectual component. The concept of how the gear achieves a function is different from the patent of where the gear is positioned or whether it is metal or plastic.
And remember the uniqueness- a gear itself is not unique or patented, its in common domain, anyone can go to a machine shop and it is perfectly legal to ask them to make you a gear.

Interesting. So the internal parts are not or never have patent? Like the IDT a long time before other sm could use it. ... Thank you. ...Now wondering about the style of sm........... though all the 15 clones would make it seem the style is not patented. ....
Anyone ???

I'm guessing names like "Stylist" are licensed, not patented, like the brand name. The names would not really be tied to the machines themselves and whatever patents are held on them, but to the company. So I'm guessing a system like IDT was both patented and licensed, so now other companies can make something just like IDT, but they have to call it something else.

Quote: tgm and Kittys DH & I were having a discussion this morning about SM ... how they look, how the names are resurfacing for like Stylist, Athena & the like. ... so are the names copyrighted? Patent so only Singer say could use Stylist? Or Elna use Grasshoper & like that.??? Also are the hook mechanics at one time patent by one sm company ? What about the gear mechanicism ?? ... ... Just interesting ....

Thank you....

Names are, potentially, covered by trademark. They're subject to expiration from non-use, but potentially are good forever.

Mechanical things are covered by patent. The term of a patent is limited (rules are rather complicated, but generally, 20 years for most of the world.).

So, if someone wanted to make a copy of something like the Singer Featherweight, they could copy the mechanics of it -- any patents having long expired, but they couldn't call it a Singer nor a featherweight.

Manuals are copyrighted. These days, those tend not to expire--the term is absurdly long.
Mechanical parts can be patented. Patents don't last all that long-- under twenty years.
A particularly sleek chassis, or a decal might be protected by a design patent. Those also don't last all that long--fourteen years.

Trademarks last as long as the company can maintain them. Names such as "Singer", and "Bernina" are trademarked. The "Singer 160" badge is also trademarked.

Some lawyers like to confuse the issue by classifying them all under the rubric of "Intellectual Property".

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